An interactive type numerical control apparatus designates a tool in accordance with a created machining program, and outputs a command to a machine tool for sequentially machining a raw material. When this machining program is created, different machining operations, such as bar machining, trace machining, fillet machining, face machining, screw machining, groove machining and the like, are selected and the tools and cutting conditions are automatically determined based on input data.
Accordingly, tools and cutting conditions optimum for the different machining operations for the raw material are designated, to thereby shorten a machining cycle time and obtain a more effective operation of the machine tool.
Recently, a tool capable of performing a plurality of different machining operations has been developed, and an effective operation of such a machine tool further shortens the machining cycle time. For example, a Cut-Grip (Trade Mark) tool having a composite function with cutting blades at both the front and side, for arbitrarily effecting a cutting operation in any direction, can perform an outside diameter machining, face machining, trick machining and inside diameter machining, without changing the tool.
When a cutting operation and groove machining operation are performed by using a tool having such composite functions, without changing the tool, a time necessary for changing the tool is further reduced and the programming therefore can be simplified.
Further, in general, when a machining program including an outside diameter cutting operation and a groove machining operation is created by an interactive type numerical control apparatus, configuration data for each of the two operations is input in accordance with a different set screen.
Nevertheless, when data is input through a different set screen each time a type of machining is changed in the creation of a program effected by using an interactive type numerical control apparatus, the program cannot be effectively created. Further, unless a machine tool is operated in accordance with a machining program that makes the best use of the features of the tool having a composite function, a cycle time cannot be always shortened.
Also, preferably when a composite tool is not fitted as the machine tool, the same machining can be realized by using conventional tools with a single cutting blade.